After 41 years ....Rev. Dr Deegbe retires as Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church

The Calvary Baptist Church (CBC) has held a retirement and farewell service for the Senior Pastor of the church, Rev. Dr Fredrick Primrose Deegbe, after 34 years of dedicated service to the church. 

Rev. Dr Deegbe retired from his priestly duties after 41 years of active pastoral ministry.

The service, which was held at the CBC at Shiashie, Accra, was to honour Rev. Dr Deegbe’s contributions to the growth of the church and theological seminary as a pastor and educationist.

To show appreciation, a citation was read for Rev. Dr Deegbe, who also received some gifts from the church and friends for his selfless and dedicated service over the years.

Well-wishers

Rev. Dr Deegbe was joined by his family and friends, including his wife, Joana Deegbe; children, his grandchildren, some members of the CBC, Scripture Union (SU) Ghana, Ghana Baptist Convention and Christiana Council of Ghana (CCG), as well as some heads of institutions and organisations.

Notable among the well-wishers were the President, Ghana Baptist Convention, Rev. Enoch Thompson; the President, Ministers’ Conference - Ghana Baptist Church, Rev. Dr Charles Owusu Ampofo; the President, Eastwood Anaba Ministries and Founder, Fountain Gate Chapel International, Rev. Eastwood Anaba, and a former President, Ministers’ Conference, Ghana Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr J.N.N. Ocquaye.

Others included the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God (AG), Ghana, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam; the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare; the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), George Sarpong; a former Commissioner for the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Anna Bossman, and the Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, among others.

Sermon

Speaking on the theme: “Retiring Retirement”, Rev. Eastwood Anaba, in his sermon, challenged the traditional concept of retirement and urged the congregation not to see it as an end, but as a divine rerouting.

He urged the church to “retire retirement” and redefine what it meant to transition into ministry.

Rev. Anaba described Rev. Dr Deegbe as a foundational pillar in his spiritual journey and expressed his appreciation for the role he had played. 

Goodwill messages

The new Senior Pastor of the CBC, Rev. Washington Komla Darke, described him as a man of “exceptional wisdom, unwavering faith, with a remarkable ability to connect with people from all walks of life”.

His leadership, he said, was not only about spiritual guidance but also about fostering unity, love, and personal growth within the church.

He said Rev. Dr Deegbe’s strategic insight and problem-solving skills helped navigate the church and its members through various challenges, including difficult moments in the Ghana Baptist Convention and national politics.

Rev. Komla assured Rev. Dr Deegbe that his work would not be in vain and prayed for continued blessings in this new phase of his life.

The General Secretary of CCG, Rev. Dr Cyril G. K. Fayose, lauded Rev. Dr Deegbe’s tenure of service as the General Secretary of the council, saying, “10 years have left an indelible mark on the spiritual and social fabric of our nation”.

“Your voice in the public sphere, coupled with your active involvement in various civil society organisations, has made a lasting contribution to the socio-political life of Ghana,” he added.

Gratitude

Rev. Dr Deegbe expressed his appreciation to God, his family, and the church community for their support.

He thanked the church leadership and volunteers for their dedication, addressing them as the “unsung heroes” of the ministry.

As he retired as senior pastor, Rev. Dr Deegbe assured the congregation that he would continue to serve God and the church.

He expressed his commitment to continuing with God’s work and added “I plan to dedicate my time to theological reflection, mentoring, teaching, preaching and writing”.

He expressed his appreciation to his fellow pastors for their encouragement, saying, “Your dedication and commitment have been instrumental in shaping the church. We have worked together in unity. As we await the Lord’s return, let us press on to victory”.

Profile

Rev. Dr Deegbe was born on February 9, 1955, in Keta, Volta Region, and comes from Anyako.

As the eldest of five children, he became a Christian at the age of 10 and began his theological training at Christian Service College (CSC) in Kumasi, earning a diploma in 1978.

He joined Calvary Baptist Church (CBC), where he was baptised in 1977 and later ordained as a minister in 1983.

Education

He obtained a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas in 1986 and a Doctorate in Ministry (D.Min) from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky in 2003.

He also completed an Advanced Certificate in Clinical Pastoral Education at Baylor University Medical Centre.

He studied law and earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Ghana and later became a Barrister-at-Law after training at the Ghana School of Law.

Church life

Rev. Dr Deegbe began his pastoral career as an assistant pastor at CBC in 1980. In 1991, he became the Senior Pastor, a role he held until 2024.

Under his leadership, he also established the Calvary Leadership Institute to train pastors and church leaders.

From 2003 to 2013, he served as General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG). 

Rev. Dr. Deegbe is also an accomplished author with books such “When Friends Fight”, “Building a Christian Home”, and “Born to Blossom”.